Hi Fitness & Feta readers!  My name is Kelly and I blog over at Cupcake Kelly’s.  My blog started as a baking blog, but soon after I started it I found out I was expecting and my blog turned into a blog that has a little bit of everything.  I blog about my family, food, baking, and fitness.

Disclosure:  I do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in fitness or nutrition.  This post is my view based on what has worked for me and should not be taken as medical advice.  Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan.

Last year I ran my first half marathon and then three weeks later I ran my second, I have two more coming up this fall, and I am not an expert, but running with more experienced runners was extremely helpful and I learned a lot right away.  Today, I am sharing with you my tips for new runners.

Get the right shoe!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say how much they want a specific shoe because of the colors.  I get it, I love having bright neon shoes, but the first time in the four years that I have been seriously running, I have a neon shoe.

Go to your local running store and ask to get fitted.  I love Marathon Sports, which has many locations all over the Greater Boston Area.  The specialist will have you walk and run and will match you with the best shoe for your foot, sometimes it takes a few different shoes to get one you are comfortable with.  Take your time and make sure you get the best shoe for you.  THEN go for color, your feet with love you for it.

Get the right gear

This can be a bit cheaper and you can have more fun!  Check Target, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, etc… sometimes the latter two can have expensive gear for cheap!  If you are going to run longer than 3 miles I would highly recommend a handheld water bottle, especially with the heat wave Boston has experienced this summer!

Watch your carbs

One of the biggest mistakes many new runners make (myself included) is that we give ourselves a free pass to eat all the carbs aka pasta.  While it is important to feed our bodies, make sure you aren’t eating just because.

Set realistic small goals and long-term goals

When I decided to run a half-marathon, I had never run more than a 5k.  I signed up with Team in Training and I had a long season, so I had 5 months of training to build to a half marathon.  During training I ran my first 10k, and I ran a half marathon as a training run.

Signing up with TNT may not be right for you, but make sure you have enough time to train for your event.

Be consistent and remember that your training is YOURS

Whether or not you’re training for an event, consistency is key with any workout.  Running can be hard for some and can come easy for others.  If you like running, but it is hard, remember we all struggle.  Everyone has bad runs, the weather affects us all differently.  While your best friend might be able to run 5 miles much easier than you, you may have a day where you can run 10 miles easier than she can.

Remember the 10% rule and prevent injury

When beginning running or training for an event, don’t increase your mileage by more than 10% a week, ramping up too quickly can lead to injury or burnout.  Additionally, make sure you warm up and cool down when running and stretch, stretch, stretch.  I can’t emphasize enough how important this is.

Have fun and enjoy your run

I love running with others, even if I am not running alongside someone, it gives me joy to share this hobby with others.  I run on a path that is filled with runners all day, everyone is supportive of one another, when I am having a bad run, I make sure to run there because it will lift my mood.

The only person you are doing this for is you, make sure you find what works for you and enjoy your run!

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

Thank you, Kelly, for your guest post today!  I don’t write a lot of running posts, so I know my runner readers will appreciate this. 

Let’s chat – are there any other tips for beginner runners that you’d like to share?

Hi Fitness & Feta readers!  My name is Kelly and I blog over at Cupcake Kelly’s.  My blog started as a baking blog, but soon after I started it I found out I was expecting and my blog turned into a blog that has a little bit of everything.  I blog about my family, food, baking, and fitness.

Disclosure:  I do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in fitness or nutrition.  This post is my view based on what has worked for me and should not be taken as medical advice.  Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan.

Last year I ran my first half marathon and then three weeks later I ran my second, I have two more coming up this fall, and I am not an expert, but running with more experienced runners was extremely helpful and I learned a lot right away.  Today, I am sharing with you my tips for new runners.

Get the right shoe!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say how much they want a specific shoe because of the colors.  I get it, I love having bright neon shoes, but the first time in the four years that I have been seriously running, I have a neon shoe.

Go to your local running store and ask to get fitted.  I love Marathon Sports, which has many locations all over the Greater Boston Area.  The specialist will have you walk and run and will match you with the best shoe for your foot, sometimes it takes a few different shoes to get one you are comfortable with.  Take your time and make sure you get the best shoe for you.  THEN go for color, your feet with love you for it.

Get the right gear

This can be a bit cheaper and you can have more fun!  Check Target, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, etc… sometimes the latter two can have expensive gear for cheap!  If you are going to run longer than 3 miles I would highly recommend a handheld water bottle, especially with the heat wave Boston has experienced this summer!

Watch your carbs

One of the biggest mistakes many new runners make (myself included) is that we give ourselves a free pass to eat all the carbs aka pasta.  While it is important to feed our bodies, make sure you aren’t eating just because.

Set realistic small goals and long-term goals

When I decided to run a half-marathon, I had never run more than a 5k.  I signed up with Team in Training and I had a long season, so I had 5 months of training to build to a half marathon.  During training I ran my first 10k, and I ran a half marathon as a training run.

Signing up with TNT may not be right for you, but make sure you have enough time to train for your event.

Be consistent and remember that your training is YOURS

Whether or not you’re training for an event, consistency is key with any workout.  Running can be hard for some and can come easy for others.  If you like running, but it is hard, remember we all struggle.  Everyone has bad runs, the weather affects us all differently.  While your best friend might be able to run 5 miles much easier than you, you may have a day where you can run 10 miles easier than she can.

Remember the 10% rule and prevent injury

When beginning running or training for an event, don’t increase your mileage by more than 10% a week, ramping up too quickly can lead to injury or burnout.  Additionally, make sure you warm up and cool down when running and stretch, stretch, stretch.  I can’t emphasize enough how important this is.

Have fun and enjoy your run

I love running with others, even if I am not running alongside someone, it gives me joy to share this hobby with others.  I run on a path that is filled with runners all day, everyone is supportive of one another, when I am having a bad run, I make sure to run there because it will lift my mood.

The only person you are doing this for is you, make sure you find what works for you and enjoy your run!

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

Thank you, Kelly, for your guest post today!  I don’t write a lot of running posts, so I know my runner readers will appreciate this. 

Let’s chat – are there any other tips for beginner runners that you’d like to share?